Second Home - A Relaxing Option?

With increasing affluence on the one hand and a growing realization that there is a need for a relaxed lifestyle at least on weekends, the concept of second homes appears to be gaining popularity. According to the National Council of Applied Economic Re­search, the number of households de­scribed as rich is expected to reach 11 million by 2013 from 3 million in 2003. Meanwhile, the number of mid­dle class aspirers is predicted to leap even more dramatically, from 46 mil­lion to 124 million. The number of HNW Is in India is growing at 20% YoY, second only to Singapore.

This growing opulence of Indians surely makes the second-home mar­ket pretty hot. According to a study conducted by Kapston.com, a Banga­lore-based E-business consulting firm, second-home sales in India in­creased by 50% from 2002 to 2007. The trend slowed a bit in 2008, most­ly due to the economic woes of the US. Then it picked up in mid-2010 to slow down slightly only in the recent time, although now it's a normal, reg­ulated market where good stuff sells very quickly.

Motive 
Different people invest in a secondproperty with different motives. For some, second home is to have a re­laxing place away from the hustle and bustle of city life, extreme heat and the stresses of work. There are many who'd like to have a second home to spend the rest of their lives in, post-retirement. Others invest in a second home in order to earn rental income.
The primary reason for buying a second home is still lifestyle among Indians; however people have start­ed realizing the investment potential, but the investment consideration comes in a strong second place.

Be Wise 
Even if buying a second home in­volves spending a lot more money be­fore retirement, you will be wise to consider it as an investment. If, for ex­ample, you buy a second home five years before you retire, you will be able to earn money by renting out your property for the next five years, and cover a part of the mort­gage costs.

For NRIs
And it's not only for Indian dwellers. Non-resident Indians are buying this mid-level housing as well. NRIs can easily attain housing in In­dia because they were born there— but they can also buy even if their parents or grandparents were born there.
Many NRIs choose to go back to where they came from; they have dreams of having India as a possible place to retire, where hired maid ser­vants will run their day-to-day tasks while they relax close to friends and family. The home towns where they grew up always have a certain draw on their heart strings.

A second home is not a bad idea. It can serve the purpose of a change from the routine, once in a while, and leave you refreshed and energized. It can also be a wise investment. In fact people in the higher income brackets even opt for more than one second home as part of their long term in­vestment strategy.

Home Loan - Apply online; know the present interest rates; get alerts too!! - Loanyantra.com

Now-a-days, competition for home loans has outgrown competition for homes. This rose a requirement of applying online for a home loan.

When you can search for your home online, then why not search for a home loan online. So after searching and applying online, we take our services a step forward. This idea is in action only to take the home loan and the related services to our customers customized. 

What makes us different from others.

As we are, our service starts where many others' end.

Once you apply online, we take you through the process, which is simple and transparent. Check your eligibility and we guide you to the customized interest rates. If you find us your true beneficiary, associate with us. You will get a call within no time. Get home loan approval from the required bank.

So now, you experience our efforts. Retire from your home loan thoughts. You are into our loan rate shield process. We send you alerts on changing interest rates and suggest you for a balance transfer when needed. 

Infact, we are managing your loan. Each step, from the time you enter your details, apply online, getting customized rates, getting required bank approvals, and timely alerts, we try to save your valuable time, make it economical and most important keep you away from stress.

For details, visit, www.loanyantra.com.

The Hidden Costs of Buying Your First and a New Home.

Everyone knows that buying your first home is an expensive ordeal—just the cost of a down payment alone can be significant for many buyers. But those aren’t the only costs that you have to consider prior to home shopping.

First-time buyers often don’t realize that they will need to pay for more than just the selling price that they negotiate with a seller. Things like interiors, hookup fees for utilities, and appliances are all extra expenses.

So what else do you need to budget for as a first-time buyer? Follow along as we take you through the basics.

Step One: Before You Buy

Before you start booking viewings, figuring out a budget, or even browsing through furniture stores, you need to figure out what your real costs are going to be. Your down payment is not the only upfront cost that you are going to have to pay, so you need to make sure that you hold enough back to cover all of the extras, such as:

Legal fees

Though mentioned in the cost sheet by the seller. Take care that you are in the safe side wuith the legal charges.

Agent fees

If you are buying a house using a real estate agent, make sure that you have your terms discussed in detail before proceeding further. Usually it is 1% - 2% of the property cost. 

However, the agent is paid a percentage of the sale price upon the completion of the transaction.

Inspection and appraisal

The trend now in India with the sellers is, they mention the cost for the government approval in the price sheet. So be clever and conscious when you calculate the cost of the property. Please do research on the present trend and compare in your price sheet.

Mortgage with interest

So maybe you have a general idea of what you can afford for a mortgage, but did you factor in an interest rate? Will your interest rate change based on your down payment? Will your rate fluctuate, or will it be fixed?

You will need to talk to your bank about this, to see how much you qualify for and what they can offer to you. Your monthly payments can change significantly based on your interest rate, so if you get an offer that seems high, feel free to shop around for one that better suits your bank account.

Note : Feel free to visit our website (www.loanyantra.com) for constant alerts on interest rate changes and also for zero fee balance transfer.

Step Two: After You Pick a House

Don’t put away your calculator yet!  Sure, you made your budget work for the “before” costs, but don’t forget about the “during” costs, which include:

Moving expenses

Do you have enough stuff to warrant a moving truck or movers? Is your new place far away from your current one? If you need, or want, to hire movers, you’ll need to figure out the cost. Depending on your preferences, movers can get pricey.

For example, if you just rent a moving truck or trailer, your costs will be moderately low. But if you need people to help pack your things and move your items out of one house and into another, you’re going to have to cough up some extra cash.

Home Insurance

Homes come with all kinds of monthly expenses, and insurance is one of the necessary ones. Depending on the age and condition of your home, your location, your insurance history, and so on, your insurance rates will fluctuate. They’ll also vary drastically by provider.

Be sure to shop around for the best coverage and price for your personal needs.

Interiors and Utilities

We all know that interior designing and buying utilities are going to cost money; that is inevitable. Interior designers will surely cost your pocket. So depending on your financial situation, take a call. There are plenty of options around. Probably, it is time for you now to look up for offers and sale. Now-a-days, shopping online and cash on delivery options make things easier and economical as well. So think wise before you shop either online or outdoor. The idea is to save money and time too.

Property tax

Property taxes are something that every homeowner has to pay, and they vary by location. And this is one of the taxes the government is strictly probing. So to avoid paying lump-sum, plan well in advance. 

Step Three: Once You Move

So, you figured out a budget and selected a house. Since you’ve probably put a lot of your cash into the process so far, it might be difficult for you to consider parting with any more of your money, but chances are you still need a few things to turn your new house into a home.

Take a deep breath and remember:

• There will be unexpected costs. Maybe something gets damaged in the move, or maybe you need to change the locks to your new house. Don’t beat yourself up for not thinking about every single cost involved.
• Your first grocery trip is going to be expensive. Why? Because, chances are you need to stock up on groceries, spices, canned goods, and other staples. Don’t worry, you’ll only need to do a move-in shop once. The rest of the time you’ll just buy what you need, when you need it.
• All of the money that you were saving isn’t gone. It’s finally gone towards what you were saving for in the first place.

Setting up House and Settling in

You won’t often hear that buying a house is easy, but you won’t hear too many regrets about doing it either. It’s a big purchase, and it’s bound to be a bit complicated, but don’t let that keep you from building equity and making a home of your own.

Spend wisely, save for a rainy day, and cover your most important costs before anything else and you’ll have a happy and financially healthy home to call your very own.

Thinking of Financing Your First Home?

For most people, buying a home is the biggest purchase they will ever make, and the majority of first-time buyers need to obtain financing in order to do so. With such a large number on the table, it’s important to choose financing that works for you in both the short- and long-term.

From down payments, to mortgage brokers and traditional lenders such as banks, we’ll explore what options are best for you.

Should I Use a Mortgage Broker?

A mortgage broker is someone who provides you, the borrower, with financing options from various lenders. Think of them as a sort of mortgage middleman.

You provide them with financial details about yourself, such as your job history, credit report, down payment amount, etc., and they take your information to various private lenders to see what they can offer you for an interest rate and mortgage term.

There are many potential pros to using mortgage brokers, such as:

• Communicating between you and a lender.
• Lower interest rates.
• Flexibility for a typical borrowers.

As well as cons, that can include:

• Inability to service your loan.

Mortgage brokers are able to present your information to multiple lenders, allowing for flexibility if you don’t meet the strict standards usually required by banks. Often, mortgage brokers are able to find options for those who are self-employed, who have poor credit history, or a short job history. But remember that those options may come with penalties, such as a higher interest rate or a larger down payment.

If you do choose to go with a broker, make sure that you choose someone who has a good reputation and a lot of experience.

Should I Use a Traditional Lender?

Traditional lenders, namely banks, provide mortgages to clients, allowing both parties to communicate directly. Often, first-time homebuyers with good credit, a down payment, and at least a year’s worth of job history will contact their bank first when seeking a mortgage.

Banks tend to have pre-designed mortgage options, which includes interest rates, terms, and so on.

The benefits of choosing a bank can include:

• Reliability, trust, and security.
• Potential savings for clients with multiple accounts.
• Faster approval.

While some negatives are:

• Less flexibility for buyers who are self-employed, or who have poor or little credit history.
• More rigorous requirements.
• Limited choices in terms of rates, length, and more.

When exploring the option of using a bank as your lender, remember that you don’t have to stick to the bank that you have other accounts with. Feel free to explore what other banks are offering. Some may offer bonuses for having checking or savings accounts with them, or based on the down payment that you will make.

If you do choose to go with a bank, be sure that it is a bank that you feel comfortable with and that you have them walk you through the terms of your mortgage so that you understand the ins and outs.

Should I Save for a Cash Sale?

Cash sales are probably the most desirable types of home purchases, since the buyer forgoes interest rates, mortgage terms, and the stress of finding a lender, but not many buyers are able to purchase a home using cash alone.

In smaller towns or less desirable areas, homes can go for reasonably low prices, which may allow you to save enough to buy one, but in areas with higher demand or in cities, home prices aren’t quite as affordable.

In order to save for a cheaper home it can take years to put away enough to make the purchase, but for even a moderately priced home it can take even longer, depending on your income and expenses.

Often, buyers who are able to purchase using cash benefited from an inheritance or something similar, but just because you have the cash to cover your house entirely doesn’t mean that you should use it all.

Before choosing to use all of your cash to secure a home, consider the following:

• If I use all of my savings to purchase a home, will I be left cash poor?
• What will the cost of renovations, repairs, or other fees outside of the mortgage be?
• Am I borrowing money from someone I will need to pay back?
• How long will it take me to save for a home, based on both my expenses and inflation?

How Should I Finance My Mortgage?

How you finance your mortgage, whether through a broker or a bank, using just enough cash to cover the down payment, or paying for your home entirely, depends on your financial situation, the property, and your goals not just for now, but down the road.

Not every lender is suitable for every buyer, and only you can decide which avenue makes you feel the most confident and comfortable. Take your time, shop around, and explore what is available to you. In educating yourself about your options, you can make the best choice for you and your finances.

Note : Our (loanyantra.com) customers can always find us as a reliable source in managing the home loan as we suggest you the best home loan option that suits your financial situation, and always alert you with the changes in interest rates. 

Visit www.loanyantra.com for details.